Motor News

• If you’re in the market for a truly awful car from the ’90s with a 1.0-liter three-cylinder engine and 13-inch tires, has Bring a Trailer got a car for you.• The tiny Metro was a product of long-departed General Motors brand Geo and also wore the Chevrolet badge at one time.• With bidding set to end on Friday, April 8, the high offer is currently $5100. There could be a bargain price coming for the winning bidder.Last week, everyone went berserk over a three-cylinder Toyota. This week, go reveal your inner freak for a three-cylinder Geo. It’s magenta, it’s terrible, and like most great terrible cars, it’s now commanding actual money on Bring a Trailer—which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos). The listing for this 1993 Metro ends in three days, after which you will most likely be unable to purchase a similar three-cylinder convertible with 13-inch tires and 36,000 miles for what could be several months.

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The Geo Metro tends to come and go in the automotive news cycle. A 400-mile Chevy-branded Metro—the very last two-door hatch before production swiftly ended in 2001—sold on BaT last November for over 18 grand. Considering we bought four all at once for $4500 just a few years ago, the leading bidder is betting on a bright future. When gas prices skyrocketed to then-record levels in 2008, Metros were selling for more than $7000 (we tested one in 1992 that listed at $8670). The little cars’ ability to hit 50-plus miles per gallon was the product of physics, not any technical genius at the Suzuki plants that built them (and the Swift) from 1989 through 2001. When a motorized object weighing less than a ton cuts through the air with the engine displacement of two water bottles, efficiency is the only result.

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This magenta Metro LSi might appear to be resprayed—it’s bright red under the hood—but the seller and many Metro enthusiasts insist this was a factory feature. There’s also a driver’s-side airbag, air conditioning, a scrunchy black soft top, windows that roll up and down, and absolutely immaculate Geo hubcaps. The 1.0-liter three-cylinder engine has electronic fuel injection and OBD-I sensors to keep all 55 horsepower and 58 pound-feet of torque in clean shape. Everything looks original except the JVC stereo. After its purchase in California, the magenta Metro lived a quiet life in Las Vegas for the next 13 or so years until it moved to Oklahoma and then Colorado. How baby Geo got to Pennsylvania in one piece is a good question to ask in the BaT comments.

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We don’t need to ask, since we’ve driven many Metros. The Metro LSi convertible we tested for our January 1991 issue cost an astounding $11,106—that’s more than $23,000 in modern dollars—so don’t complain about new cars being pricey. And don’t yell at your own car for being slow. During a 12-car mega test in 1992, a Metro made it to 60 mph in 13.1 seconds. In 2009, a Chevrolet-branded 1998 Metro we drove as a control subject against the Toyota Prius and Honda Insight needed 2.8 more seconds. “It takes 20.3 seconds to cover the quarter-mile, roughly twice the average span that Americans will listen to Kenny G before changing channels,” wrote John Phillips. Removing the roof ensured the Metro had “all the structural integrity of hollandaise sauce atop filet of eel.” For once, Phillips was shooting for accuracy, not humor. The next owner of the magenta Metro will miss out on power steering and service records. In their place are the original owner’s manuals, all the original keys, some burned CD in Sharpie marker, and a brochure about the Geo Satisfaction System. The auction ends on Friday, April 8. Merge with caution and enjoy.

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Porsche is investing $75 million in Chilean company HIF, which has developed a method of creating a synthetic liquid fuel that can be used in any gasoline-burning engine and is also almost carbon neutral.Porsche said it remains committed to electric powertrains for future models, but doesn’t want to leave its current customers behind. A synthetic, carbon-neutral fuel is just the answer.HIF plans to start production of its eFuel in the middle of this year, and Porsche will use the fuel in motorsports when it’s available.Porsche’s interest in synthetic fuels goes back a few years now, but the reasons behind the company’s desire to offer a sustainable alternative to gasoline reach back into its racing past and that of the 911. Today, Porsche announced a big step forward in the production of commercial liquid synthetic fuels: an investment of $75 million in Chilean eFuel producer Highly Innovative Fuels (HIF).

Porsche (and the Volkswagen Group as a whole) remains hugely invested in bringing more electric vehicles to market, with Porsche itself spending hundreds of millions of dollars on EV technology. But new EVs don’t help today’s Porsche owners, which is where Porsche’s investment in a gas substitute called eFuel comes in. Porsche says the electricity-based synthetic fuel that’s produced using wind energy is almost carbon neutral and that it is an ideal option for driving enthusiasts. The company wants to sell eFuel at its Experience Centers and may one day deliver all new cars with a tank of eFuel, Porsche executive board member Michael Steiner said on a conference call with reporters, but there’s one other important market for a carbon-neutral fuel.

“Besides racing and the Porsche Experience Center, the iconic 911 is the main focus for our eFuel project,” Steiner said. Porsche knows that it doesn’t matter in the big picture if you say you’re eliminating carbon emissions from this model or that one; the key is to get fossil fuels out of the picture. If you can do that, and still drive a liquid-fueled car, why not make it a 911? Steiner said. Porsche wants to provide its drivers with this option wherever feasible.”Whether we offer [our eFuel] everywhere in the world, I would say no,” he said. “But in terms of consumed fuel, it is our target to take care that all the fuel that is consumed by, for example, 911s will be provided as eFuel, but not at every location.”Porsche’s $75 million investment is enough to give the automaker a stake in HIF of around 12.5 percent. HIF’s eFuel production method, developed with help from Siemens Energy and ExxonMobil, uses wind power to turn hydrogen and CO2 into a liquid fuel. HIF expects to start producing eFuel in Chile in the middle of this year.That fuel works in any car that burns gasoline, which is exactly what a carbon-neutral needs to do, Steiner said. Porsche could probably design a fuel for a specific engine, but whatever efficiency gains you might find wouldn’t solve the main problem: letting old 911s continue to cruise the streets without contributing much of anything to global warming. “The answer is no, we do not plan to design new combustion-engine technology for a specifically designed eFuel,” he said. “The main reason is that . . . if you use a designed fuel, you cannot use this fuel in the existing car fleet.”Some of Porsche’s HIF investment will be spent bringing eFuel production sites to places other than Chile, such as the U.S. and Australia. Porsche said it thinks aviation and ocean shipping companies might also be interested in eFuels. Porsche plans to introduce more of the world to eFuels through “motorsport flagship projects,” but no details have been released.
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Mercedes has unveiled the 2023 Mercedes-Maybach S680 by Virgil Abloh, the “final chapter” in a collaboration with the late fashion designer.The limited-edition model features the same black and tan two-tone look seen on the Project Maybach concept car that Abloh helped design, revealed by Mercedes last fall.Mercedes will build only 150 units of the model globally when it arrives later this year. When iconic fashion designer Virgil Abloh died last November, Mercedes-Benz honored him by unveiling the Project Maybach. The magnificent off-road luxury coupe concept was a collaboration between Abloh and Mercedes’s chief design officer Gorden Wagener. Now Mercedes has revealed what it calls the “final chapter” of Abloh and Wagener’s partnership, the 2023 Mercedes-Maybach S680 by Virgil Abloh, the design of which was finalized prior to Abloh’s passing.

Mercedes-Benz

Essentially a highly customized Mercedes-Maybach S680, Abloh and Wagener’s creation is finished with a two-tone paint job akin to the one found on the Project Maybach concept car. The upper section is painted Obsidian Black while the bottom of the car, including the monoblock wheels, is coated in a tan shade.

Mercedes-Benz

The same two-tone scheme appears inside, with sand-colored Nappa leather accented by black trim on the doors, center console, and steering wheel. Mercedes-Maybach and Virgil Abloh logos adorn the center console, rear cushions, headrests, and door sills. Mercedes even says that the infotainment system has been customized—the home button has a matching tan color and a logo marking the limited edition. There are also available profile pictures for the screen featuring fashion accessories.

The 2023 Mercedes-Maybach S680 by Virgil Abloh will be available in the U.S. later this year, with only 150 units produced globally. Customers will also get a 1/18 scale replica of the car inside a custom-made wooden box wrapped in tan Nappa leather, along with a special car cover with the Maybach and Abloh logo. There’s no word yet on price, either for this special edition or for the standard-issue, V-12–powered Maybach S680, but both are likely to command well over $200,000.
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Chevrolet Bolt EV and EUV production restarted on Monday at the Lake Orion Assembly plant in Michigan.The Bolt EV and EUV had been recalled last year for manufacturing defects in the battery packs built by LG Energy Solution that could cause fires.The Bolt duo had been out of production since November, when GM issued a stop-sale order as it worked to fix the faulty battery packs. The LG packs now being used have been modified to fix the problem.Last year, General Motors recalled its affordable EV, the Chevrolet Bolt, and its crossover counterpart, the Bolt EUV, after multiple reports of battery pack fires. Production was halted in November and a stop-sale order was issued as GM and battery supplier LG Energy Solution worked on a fix. But now new Bolts will begin to roll off the line once again, with production of the Bolt EV and Bolt EUV resuming at the Lake Orion Assembly plant in Michigan on Monday.

Chevrolet

General Motors spokesperson Dan Flores confirmed that production restarted yesterday, adding, “We are very excited to restart production and we’ll continue to balance battery availability for new vehicle production while continuing to prioritize recall repairs.” In total, around 140,000 Bolts were recalled for a pair of manufacturing defects in LG’s battery packs that could cause a fire. GM has been working to repair the affected vehicles since battery production resumed last fall.

Since the third quarter of 2021, Chevrolet has delivered fewer than 400 units of the Bolt EV and Bolt EUV. Just 25 units were delivered in the fourth quarter of last year, while 358 Bolt EVs and EUVs found homes so far in 2022. This is down substantially from the 9000 Bolts delivered in the first quarter of 2021. Now that production of new Bolts is back underway, it will be interesting to see if sales recover. Chevrolet sold more than 24,000 Bolts in 2021 before the recall, but customers might now be wary of the Bolt EV and EUV. Several new EV models from other automakers have also gone on sale since Bolt production stopped, although none can match the Bolt’s $32,495 starting price.
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Honda and GM will co-develop a line of affordable electric compact SUV models.They will share platforms and new battery technologies that could include solid-state batteries.We can expect these models to arrive in the U.S. starting in 2027.We already know that Honda will use GM’s EV platform for two upcoming electric SUVs coming in 2024. But that won’t be the end of the two automakers’ partnership, as they have just announced a massive expansion of their plans. GM and Honda now say they will co-develop a lineup of affordable compact crossovers set to launch in 2027 with new battery technologies. The companies clearly have high sales ambitions for these vehicles, as they cite manufacturing plans that will “enable global production of millions of EVs.”

These new models will use a common platform and share new battery technologies that the two companies are exploring, such as solid-state batteries and materials such as lithium-metal and silicon. Due to their affordability bent, we can assume that these compact SUVs will wear Chevy and Honda badges at first, but they may expand into GM’s more upscale Buick, Cadillac, and GMC brands as well and could also result in a product for Honda’s Acura luxury division.These new models will be smaller and cheaper than the previously announced 2024 Honda Prologue and its Acura spinoff, which could be called ADX. These vehicles, launching in about two years, are expected to use a version of the Ultium platform that will be similarly sized as the mid-size Cadillac Lyriq electric crossover that has already begun production.

2024 Chevy Equinox EV
Chevrolet

Both GM and Honda say they are working to achieve price parity between EVs and existing gasoline models, and that a key mission of this project is to drive down the cost of electric vehicles so that they can sell in higher volumes. GM, for its part, is currently way ahead of Honda towards achieving this goal; it already offers the Bolt, starting at $32,495, and has announced plans for an Equinox EV coming next year that it claims will start around $30,000. GM also claims it will later launch an EV to slot in below the Equinox EV price-wise. Honda, meanwhile, does not currently sell an EV model in the U.S. at all but has shown EV concepts (pictured at top) for various global markets.

Honda also says that it is developing electric models on its own platforms, but won’t share where these vehicles will fit in with the GM partnership. If we were to guess, we’d think that Hondas own EVs may take the form of smaller hatchbacks and sedans rather than the SUVs it will build with GM. The company does currently sell the tiny Honda e hatchback abroad but has no plans to bring this vehicle to the U.S. Honda also recently announced that it plans to establish a new EV brand with Sony, so we’re not sure how that fits in with these new plans with GM.Look for more information to come within the next few years as we find out more about GM and Honda’s growing collaboration in terms of production, technology, and where these new EVs will fit into the automakers’ respective lineups.
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Hertz intends to add 65,000 Polestar electric vehicles to its global rental fleet within the next five years.The Polestar 2 will be the first model available, starting first in Europe and later expanding to Australia and North America.Hertz previously said it wants to make EVs 20 percent of its fleet.Teslas won’t be the only EVs available to rent through Hertz, as the company now says it plans to order 65,000 electric vehicles from Polestar within the next five years. The Polestar 2 hatchback will be the first model added to the fleet, starting this spring in Europe and reaching North America near the end of 2022. This is in addition to the order for 100,000 Tesla Model 3 vehicles that Hertz says it has already begun adding to its U.S. rental fleet in select cities.

This order will likely make up a significant portion of Polestar’s production over the next few years, as the company only sold 29,000 vehicles globally in 2021 and intends to hit a target of 290,000 vehicles produced in 2025. Hertz has not yet released details on the cost or availability of the rentals, but, like with the Tesla Model 3, we expect the vehicles to be priced similarly to other premium or luxury rental rates and available only in certain locations at first. Hertz also says the Polestar vehicles will eventually be available for ride-share drivers.Hertz has previously said it is investing in electric-vehicle charging infrastructure across its global facilities, as it is aiming to install both Level 2 and DC fast-charging stations. There will also be an EV-specific booking function on the company’s smartphone app. Hertz will be paying sticker price for the Tesla Model 3 vehicles it ordered in a $4.2 billion deal, but it’s unclear if it worked out a different financial package with Polestar.
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Honda has revealed the first photos of the redesigned 2023 HR-V.The new model is larger than before, with a longer wheelbase. It now shares its platform with the Civic.More info will be coming soon and the new HR-V is scheduled to arrive at U.S. dealerships over the summer.Honda’s smallest SUV is entering its second generation, and there are some notable changes in store for the new 2023 HR-V. These are the first official photos of the redesigned model that’s headed to the U.S., which is larger than before and distinct from the smaller, hybrid-only Europe-market model revealed last year.

Honda

While the HR-V previously used the same platform as the now-discontinued Fit hatchback, Honda says that the new subcompact SUV rides on the same platform as the Civic. It has a longer wheelbase than before and now features an independent rear suspension.

All Honda claims about the powertrain is that it will be powered by a “more responsive engine,” and we’d guess that the Civic’s 180-hp turbocharged 1.5-liter inline-four will be under the hood to replace the old HR-V’s 141-hp 1.8-liter inline-four. The naturally aspirated 158-hp 2.0-liter inline-four from the Civic’s lower trim levels may also be offered as the HR-V’s base engine. Front-wheel drive will likely be standard, with all-wheel drive optional, and a CVT automatic should be the only transmission choice. An HR-V hybrid is likely to join the lineup, too, although it may launch later than the gas-only version.

Honda

Honda has yet to release photos or information about the HR-V’s interior, and we’re wondering what the new platform will mean for the packaging. The previous HR-V, like the Fit, featured a remarkably low cargo floor thanks to its fuel tank being mounted under the front seats. So we’re not sure if the old HR-V’s highly configurable rear seat that could fold in multiple configurations will carry over to the new model.
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The current model’s LX, Sport, EX, and EX-L trim levels are likely to carry over, and Honda released a video showing the new HR-V in several colors including red, grey, silver, black, and white. Expect pricing to rise slightly from the current HR-V’s $23,095 starting price, with loaded AWD models costing over $30,000. More information will be coming within the next few months before the 2023 HR-V goes on sale in the summer.

Honda

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• This 1994 Oldsmobile Cutlass Cruiser station wagon is a pitch-perfect example of GM’s once-ubiquitous A-body family of cars.• Its exquisite banality stopped us in our tracks as we scrolled through listings of supercars and other mega-priced exotica.• This highly original wagon is for sale right now on Bring a Trailer, and the auction ends on April 6.In the 1980s and well into the 1990s, GM disgorged onto the marketplace hundreds of thousands of copies of its A-body line of front-wheel-drive intermediate two-door and four-door sedans and station wagons—sold variously as the Chevrolet Celebrity, Pontiac 6000, Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera, and Buick Century. Most have long since been crushed into a cube, but the later models’ popularity with the senior set (particularly the Buick and Oldsmobile versions), means you occasionally run across a well-kept, low-mileage example. That appears to be exactly what we have here in this 1994 Oldsmobile Cutlass Cruiser that has turned up on the Bring a Trailer auction site—which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos—and we couldn’t help but linger over it.This Cutlass Cruiser has racked up just 54,000 miles. Included documentation shows that it was sold new in San Francisco, and it appears to be a lifelong California car. Critically, the selling dealer has included paint meter readings, so you know that the Light Adriatic Blue finish is original, as sprayed by the UAW’s finest.

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The completely color-matched interior presents nicely. With a split-bench front seat and a vestigial, rear-facing third seat (!), this wagon boasted seating for eight (people were smaller then). It’s well-equipped for the era, with power windows, power door locks, air conditioning, and a tilt steering wheel. The display for the Delco AM/FM stereo has seen better days, so maybe just play your mix tapes.

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GM’s corporate L82 3.1-liter V-6 sits sideways under the hood and spins out 160 horsepower and 185 pound-feet of fury, channeled to the front wheels via a column-shifted four-speed automatic with overdrive. Impressively, the car passes California emissions. It also benefits from relatively recent new valve cover gaskets and a new serpentine belt and tensioner. Per the commenters, the new owner might want to preemptively replace the intake manifold gasket. It was round about this era when Oldsmobile, desperate to shake off its old-man image, fielded the ad campaign “Not your father’s Oldsmobile.” Even then, the A-body Cutlass—which lingered in showrooms for more than a dozen years—was exactly the model that undermined the attempted image overhaul. If you’re of a certain age, it likely was your father’s Oldsmobile. In my case, it was my father-in-law’s, and he swore by his “Olds sport wagon”—he had two of them—until he ultimately had to switch to a Silhouette minivan. I think maybe it’s time he cruised in one again.

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